All of the prior art toy or toy-like assembly sets of the kind as herein referred usually comprise a plurality of three dimensional members formed of a synthetic resin with different geometric configurations. These members are further provided with integrated attachment means such as projecting pins and corresponding plug-in holes or even more simply with flat surfaces for an interconnection of these members then by means of an adhesive in such a manner as to allow the children an easy assembly of the design body. In more complicated assembly sets there are usually provided respectively more complicated and mostly more technical attachment means for the interconnection of such individual constructional members especially in case of design bodies simulating more technical prototypes on a respectively reduced scale and then also corresponding in every detail more or less in a technical-functional manner with the original prototype. Such more complicated design bodies then also comprise for example attachment means simulating the existence of joints or hinges for the assembly of relatively movable members. They also may comprise attachment means which under consideration of the different geometric configurations of the individual members of the assembly set will allow in a more complicated programmed manner a bridging of differently shaped partitions for a rigid interconnection of two members thereby also in such a manner as to provide more or less a technical-functional equivalence with any original prototype.
A less complicated toy assembly set as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,083 utilizes a plurality of flexible strips which are adapted to interconnect with base members in such a manner as to form a wide variety of assembled design bodies from a relatively small number of different construction members. Each flexible strip is provided along its longitudinal axis with two spaced openings of such a size as to allow a frictional interfitting of both ends of each flexible strip over one of a plurality of integrated projections of the construction members for obtaining an overlying relation relative thereto. A further known toy assembly set as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,885,822 utilizes push-button-like fasteners for a relatively rigid interconnection of two construction members whereby each fastener has a head portion and a shaft portion of a respective diameter larger and smaller than the diameter of matching through holes in said constructional members. The massive shaft portion of these fasteners is further provided with an expansion slit and an axial length larger than the common thickness of the two thereby rigidly assembled constructional members which are held together through a co-operation of the head portion and a thicker shaft end the two halves of which are spreaded apart by said expansion slit as soon as a fastener has been inserted into the matching holes. In the U.S. Pat. No. 1,648,706 there is finally shown also a toy assembly set which utilizes flat constructional members being each provided with a plurality of openings as arranged with an equal spacing and which further utilizes rectangular flat or angular irons each being provided with two openings of the same spacing to thereby allow an assembly of the constructional members by means of srews and wing nuts.
This invention deals with the object of providing a functional design element which when untilized for a toy or toy-like assembly set mainly for children between 5 and 12 years of age will allow a more flexible assembly of the individual three-dimensional members under the viewpoint of a less perfect simulation of an original prototype with the assembled design body with respect to its technical-functional and at the same time its esthetic impression.
This object of the present invention is accomplished by principally providing a joining strip which by means of two push-button-like fasteners may be attached to two different members of the assembly set to either obtain a relatively movable assembly in the manner of a hinge or to thereby obtain a visible bridging of a partition between two relatively rigid assembled members. The functional design elements according to the present invention appear on the readyly assembled design body as less perfect technical-functional elements and rather dominate as esthetic additions of the design body which are provided in a manner of a rather amateurish and childlike immitative instinct with respect to a corresponding original prototype of the assembled design body. The functional design element of the present invention therefore may be utilized not only for assembly sets of toys but also of toy-like design bodies being usable as gift or advertising articles.